Riverfest is back for 37th year

Cincinnatians say goodbye to summer this weekend in the usual style with a half million people expected to pack both sides of the Ohio Sunday for Riverfest.

The fireworks go off around 9 p.m. but the party is all day long. Bands will play throughout the day. There'll be lots of food venders, a cornhole tournament, the Rubber Duck Regatta, skateboard demonstrations, and a zombie walk for anyone interested in dressing up like the undead.

Police suggest planning ahead to help everything go smoothly. They say know where you're going, arrive early and use public transportation when possible.

Traffic details

Access to the Cincinnati Riverfront will be limited to pedestrians only. Third Street, and all streets north of Third Street, will be open so that people can access points throughout Downtown. On-street parking will NOT be available throughout the downtown area south of Court Street after 11:00 AM on Sunday, September 1st.

Other important closures include:

The Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Suspension Bridge, Purple People Bridge, and the Taylor Southgate Bridge will all close at 6:00 PM to vehicles and pedestrians.

The streets into Mt. Adams will be closed at 6:00 PM.

The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (I-471) will close at 8:00 PM.

The Third Street exits from westbound Columbia Parkway and southbound I-71 will close at 9:00 PM.

The actual timing of these closures may be adjusted as traffic volumes dictate.

Source: City of Cincinnati

TANK Information

Buses will leave the park and ride locations every 20 minutes from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will return to the park and ride lots immediately after the fireworks. Details re: this service can be found on the TANK website (www.tankbus.org) or on the special Riverfest flyer and brochure on each bus. The Southbank Shuttle will stop running at 6:00 p.m. and WILL NOT resume until the next day Monday, September 2, 2013.

TO GET TO NEWPORT:

Ride the bus from the NKU Park and Ride. NKU buses will drop off and pick up passengers at the intersection of Dave Cowens Drive and I-471 near the Port of Entry in Newport.

TO GET TO COVINGTON:

Ride from the Park & Ride ot Turfway Park Race Track. These buses will drop off and pick up at the corner of Scott and 3rd Street in Covington.

TO GET TO CINCINNATI:

Anyone wanting to cross the river to Cincinnati should take the Southbank Shuttle. Due to the various street closures associated with this event, TheSouthbank Shuttle will be operating a modified riverfront route, beginning at 10 a.m. on the day of Riverfest and will run until 6:00 p.m. The Southbank Shuttle will stop at 6:00 p.m. when and WILL NOT resume until the next day.

Return Park & Ride service will begin immediately upon completion of the fireworks. The last bus will leave 30 minutes after the conclusion of the fireworks.

Please remember that TANK buses will be battling the traditional traffic gridlock and you may have to wait in order to catch a bus back to your Park & Ride. TANK will not be operating Riverfest Park & Ride service from Cincinnati after the fireworks.

Source: Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky

Metro is not offering special service for Riverfest. However, buses will be running on a normal Sunday schedule.

What to bring

Chairs, blankets and radios are all fine but Clear Channel says you should leave the following at home:

Alcoholic beverages brought into the eventWeapons of any typeWheeled items -skateboards, bicycles, scooters, rollerblades, etc.Large items such as a grill, couch, or other household furnishingsPetsCoolersLiquids